North Central Texas College

Course Syllabus Fall 2019

 

Course:   Composition I   ENGL 2311.501     MW 11am-12:20pm

                                             ENGL 2311.500     TR 9:30-10:50am                                           Instructor: Danielle Wagner                     

Office: 107

Email: dsearles@nctc.edu or through Canvas

Office Hours:

Please feel free to stop by any time during my office hours with questions/concerns whether or not you have an appointment. If your schedule makes it difficult for you to stop by during office hours, we can set up a time to meet that works with your schedule, or we can set up a conference in Canvas.

 

Course Description:Intensive study of and practice in professional settings.  Focus on the types of documents necessary to make decisions and take action on the job, such as proposals, reports, instructions, policies, procedures, e-mail messages, letters, and descriptions of products and services.  Practice individual and collaborative processes involved in the creation of ethical and efficient documents. Prerequisite. Satisfactory placement test score or passing grade in ENGL 0305.

 

Required Textbooks/Materials: Tebeaux, Elizabeth and Sam Dragga.  The Essentials of Technical Communication, 4th ed. Oxford University Press, ISBN: 978-0-19-9379996.

 

Grading Criteria:

Writing Activities 30%

Quizzes/Evidence of Writing Process 20%

Manual 25%

Research Report 25%

 

CLASS POLICIES

Rough Drafts: For major assignments, you will be required to show evidence of the writing process by presenting several rough drafts. If you do not show evidence of the writing process, I will not evaluate your work.

Writing Assignments: All major writing assignments are required. If you fail to turn in one of the major tasks, you cannot pass the course. I reserve the right to administratively drop any student who does not submit all major assignments.

 

Online Drop Box: All writing assignments will be connected to a drop box in Canvas where students must submit their work for grading. When you submit an assignment to a Canvas drop box:

•  For some of your writing assignments, the file you upload must be in one of the following formats: doc, docx, pdf. No other file type will be accepted. Exceptions will be noted in assignment details.

• You should always verify that your uploaded assignment appears in the drop box after you submit an assignment.

 

Late-Work:All assignments are due by the beginning of class on a particular due date. If you upload an assignment to the drop box and it reads LATE, the assignment will not be accepted for credit and will receive a 0.

• All students get ONE extension on an assignment. No penalties, no questions asked. If you need an extension on an assignment, you must email to let me know which assignment, AND you MUST schedule your own due date so that I can open up the assignment for you. You tell me when you will complete and submit the assignment. If you miss your own deadline, the assignment will be given a 0. 

• If you feel you have an extenuating circumstance and are struggling to stay on top of your assignments, please let me know so we can find a way to keep you on track with your course work. The sooner we can establish a plan, the better, so keep the lines of communication open. 

Professionalism: Your college courses are also opportunities for you to learn what it means to be a “professional” in your field. Therefore, I expect you to act like a “professional” student in this course. Prepare and participate meaningfully in online discussion boards.

• Consider the quality (and effort) of required drafts, notes, and daily assignments.

• Turn in writing assignments on-time and as assigned.

• Mind the quality and tone of email correspondence.

• Conduct yourself as a professional in the classroom. Any disruptive or offensive behavior will result in immediate dismissal. Please also be aware that tardiness and/or leaving in the middle of class is disruptive. When it comes to cell phone use, let’s adopt a “don’t be a jerk policy.” If you have a special situation where you are expecting a call (for example, you are “on call” for a sick child) just let me know ahead of time and you can take the call out in the hallway. Otherwise, cell phones should not be heard going off during class. Paying more attention to your phone than to what is happening in class is probably not the best choice if you are interested in getting something out of the course; it can also be perceived as disrespectful. 

 

Email Etiquette: Email is an excellent way for us to communicate outside the classroom, and it provides you the opportunity to ask additional questions. Given our academic environment, this form of communication should also be professional, so please observe the following rules:

• Include a greeting (such as Mrs. Wagner, or Instructor,) and a signature—make sure you sign your email with your full name.

• Write complete, coherent sentences so that I know who you are, what class you are in, and what you need

• Please allow up to 24 hours for me to respond to your questions during the week, 48 hours on weekends.

 

Attendance: Attending class is mandatory. The college requires attendance be taken daily, and your attendance affects your writing activities grade, as well as your ability to complete other major assignments effectively.

• Instructor reserves the right to drop a student who has missed more than two weeks of class (4 class meetings). After the drop date (11/1), students who miss more than two weeks of class may receive an F in the course.

Please keep the lines of communication open regarding your attendance so that if you must miss class, we can work together to keep you on track regarding your course work.

 

If you must be absent, you should:

• Make arrangements to submit any work that is due on the date of your absence.

• Check Canvas to see what discussions/assignments/handouts you missed and what will be due the day you return. Get notes from another student to cover what you have missed.

• Email me with any questions about the assignments/handouts posted to Canvas. Please note, I will not answer questions about this material until you have done your part to check the calendar and handouts that have been posted to Canvas.

 

Last Day to Withdraw: November 1st is the last day to withdrawal with a “W”

 

Class Cancelations: Over the course of the semester, it may be necessary to cancel a class meeting due to bad weather or instructor illness. Any time class is canceled, I will send a class message through Canvas explaining how we will adjust our weekly schedule, due dates, and assignments. It is your responsibility to check Canvas for these instructions so that you will not be penalized for late work or missing work. Don’t assume an assignment is not due because class has been canceled.

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES AND CORE OBJECTIVES

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

1. Recognize, analyze, and accommodate diverse audiences

2. Produce documents appropriate to audience, purpose, and genre.

3. Analyze the ethical responsibilities involved in technical communication.

4. Locate, evaluate, and incorporate pertinent information.

5. Develop verbal, visual, and multimedia materials as necessary, in individual and/or collaborative projects, as appropriate.

6. Edit for appropriate style, including attention to word choice, sentence structure, punctuation, and spelling.

7. Design and test documents for easy reading and navigation. 

Foundational Component Area:  Communication

Core Objectives. Courses in this category focus on developing ideas and expressing them clearly, considering the effect of the message, fostering understanding, and building the skills needed to communicate persuasively.  Courses involve the command of oral, aural, written, and visual literacy skills that enable people to exchange messages appropriate to the subject, occasion, and audience.

• Critical Thinking Skills (CT) - to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information

• Communication Skills (COM) - to include effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas through written, oral, and visual communication

• Teamwork (TW) - to include the ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal

• Personal Responsibility (PR )- to include the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making

Institutional Learning Goals. A quality general education curriculum in all associate degree programs.

• Quality freshman and sophomore level courses in arts and sciences which parallel the lower division offerings of four-year colleges and universities.

• Quality technical programs leading directly to careers in semi-skilled and skilled occupations, and quality technical education programs up to two years in length leading to certificates and associate degrees.

• Quality programs and services in support of adult literacy and basic skills development as a mean of workforce enhancement and expanding access to higher education.

Course Type: Academic General Education Course (from Academic Course Guide Manual but not in NCTC Core). Academic NCTC Core Curriculum Course. WECM Course

Program Purpose Statement. NCTC seeks to implement its goal of providing quality freshman and sophomore level courses in arts and sciences that parallel the lower division offerings of four-year colleges and universities by offering a coherent sequence of courses with appropriate breadth and depth to prepare a student for transfer to a university.

Departmental Purpose Statement. The Department of English, Speech, and Foreign Language provides quality instruction to students pursuing their academic and career goals.

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

College Attendance Policy: Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered.  All absences are considered to be unauthorized unless the student is absent due to illness or emergencies as determined by the instructor.  It is the student responsibility to provide documentation as to the emergency for approval and judgment by the faculty member. Approved college-sponsored activities are the only absences for which a student should not be held liable and only when provided by a college official ahead of the absence.  Valid reasons for absence, however, do not relieve the student of the responsibility for making up required work. Students will not be allowed to make up an examination missed due to absence unless they have reasons acceptable to the instructor. A student who is compelled to be absent when a test is given should petition the instructor, in advance if possible, for permission to postpone the exam.  A student will be dropped from a class by the Registrar upon the recommendation of the instructor who feels the student has been justifiably absent or tardy a sufficient number of times to preclude meeting the course’s objectives. Persistent, unjustified absences from classes or laboratories will be considered sufficient cause for College officials to drop a student from the rolls of the College. From Board Policy FC (LOCAL)

The instructor should describe here his/her attendance policy based on the discipline, the course, and the pedagogical techniques. Per NCTC policy, ALL INSTRUCTORS are required to take attendance every class meeting for reporting purposes.

Disability Accommodations: North Central Texas College does not discriminate on the basis of disability for admission or access to its programs. The College is committed to providing equal access to its students with disabilities by providing appropriate accommodations; a variety of services and resources are made available through the ACCESS Department. Students are responsible for notifying the ACCESS Department of their need for assistance. Students with documented disabilities, such as mobility impairment, hearing or visual impairment, learning, and psychological disorders are eligible for services.

The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides accommodations for students who have a documented disability. A disability is anything that can interfere with learning, such as a learning disability, psychological challenge, physical illness, or injury. Accommodations may include extra time on tests, tests in a distraction-reduced environment, volunteer note taker in class, etc.

On the Corinth Campus, go to room 170 or call 940-498-6207. On the Gainesville Campus, go to room 110 in the Administration Building (100) or call 940-668-4209.  Students on the Bowie, Graham, Flower Mound, and online campuses should call 940-668-4209 to arrange for an intake appointment with OSD.

North Central Texas College is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, ADA Amendments Act of 2009, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-112). http://www.nctc.edu/student-services/disability-services/index.html 

EEOC Statement: North Central Texas College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, or disability in the employment or the provision of services.

Financial Aid, Scholarships, and Veterans Services: The Financial Aid Office is responsible for administering a variety of programs for students who need assistance in financing their education.  The first step for financial aid is to complete a FAFSA. For more information, please visit your nearest Financial Aid Office: http://www.nctc.edu/financial-aid/index.html.

Scholastic Integrity – Plagiarism: Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but not be limited to cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion. See Student Handbook “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct [FLB- (LOCAL)]” #18.

Disciplinary Actions [Student Handbook, #5] “When cheating, collusion, or plagiarism has occurred beyond any reasonable doubt, the instructor may give the student or students involved an “F” on a particular assignment or in the course. [See Scholastic Dishonesty FLB (Local)] The instructor shall make a written report of the incident and the planned action to his Department Chair. The Department Chair shall report the incident and action to the appropriate instructional dean who shall review the case, notify the student and, if necessary, take further action. This may involve either probation or suspension of the student or students in question. If such disciplinary action is deemed necessary, the Dean of Student Services shall be notified, and the action shall be taken through that office.”

Plagiarism, which should be avoided at all costs, includes the following student actions:

1. Turning in someone else's ideas, opinions, theories, or work as your own;

2. Unintentionally or inadvertently turning in someone else's ideas, opinions, theories, or work as your own as the result of failing to document sources both internally and in the Works Cited;

3. Copying words, ideas, or images from someone without giving credit; Failing to put a quotation in quotations marks;

4. Giving incorrect information about the source of information, quotations, or images;

5. Changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit;

6. Copying so many words, ideas, or images from a source that it makes up the majority of the student's work, whether or not the student gives credit.

Please be aware that I take plagiarism very seriously.  You may not have another person write, type, edit, or revise any parts of your Writing Assignments.  You may not use someone else’s Writing Assignment or buy one from a “professional” source. You may not use the material on the internet or in print sources without documenting it.  Failure to follow the proper guidelines for documentation constitutes plagiarism. 

Considering the severity of the issue, if you ever have any questions or concerns regarding plagiarism, please consider this an open invitation to visit with me about the issue. If I discover that a student has committed intentional plagiarism, the Writing Assignment that has plagiarized materials will receive a zero, and I will recommend to the English Department Head that the student fails the course.

Student Rights & Responsibilities: NCTC Board policy FLB (Local) Student Rights and Responsibilities states that each student shall be charged with notice and knowledge of the contents and provisions of the rules and regulations concerning student conduct.  These rules and regulations are published in the Student Handbook published in conjunction with the College Catalog. All students shall obey the law, show respect for properly constituted authority, and observe correct standards of conduct.

Student Success: The Student Success Center is designed to help all students at NCTC develop tools to achieve their academic goals.  This program also links students to FREE tutoring, including a Writing Center, a Math Lab, and free 24/7 online tutoring and helps new students acclimate to college by providing computer lab services for prospective students.  All students are invited to visit the Student Success Center on the Corinth Campus, rooms 170, 182, or 188; on the Gainesville Campus, rooms 114 or 111; on the Flower Mound Campus, room 111; and on the Bowie Campus, room 124.

Tobacco-Free Campus. NCTC restricts the use of all tobacco products including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, electronic cigarettes, and smokeless tobacco on campus property. NCTC is aware that tobacco use influences underage students, which cumulates unsightly tobacco litter and interferes with assuring clean air for all who come to NCTC. NCTC recognizes the health hazards of tobacco use and of exposure to second-hand smoke. Information on a tobacco cessation program is available for students, faculty, staff who wish to stop using tobacco products. We would like to "thank you" for your help in making our campuses Tobacco-Free. For questions or concerns, please contact the Office of Vice President of Student Services at 940-668-4240.

 

SEMESTER OVERVIEW

Unit 1: The Principles of Technical Writing (Weeks 1-4)

Readings + Discussion Topics

The Essentials of Technical Communication Chapters 1-3

Evaluating Technical Writing

Audience Analysis

Assignments [LOs 1,2,6; COM, CT]

*Reading Quizzes

*Writing Activities

 

Unit 2: Document Design, Manuals (Weeks 5-8)

Readings + Discussion Topics

The Essentials of Technical Communication Chapters 5-6, 10

Using Features in Google Docs

Document Design

Instructions, Policies, Procedures

Assignments [LOs 1-2; 4-7; COM, CT]

*Reading Quizzes

*Writing Activities

*Instruction Manual (Major Project): Rough Drafts, Revision, Peer Review, Final Draft

 

Unit 3: Proposals, Reports (Weeks 9-14)

Readings + Discussion Topics

The Essentials of Technical Communication Chapters 3, 9, 8

Reports, Proposals

Research

Assignments [LOs 1-7; COM, CT, PR, TW]

*Reading Quizzes

*Writing Activities

*Annotated Bibliography

*Research Report (Major Project): Rough Drafts, Revision, Peer Review, Final Draft

 

Unit 4: Resume and Reflection (Weeks 15-16)

Readings + Discussion Topics

The Essentials of Technical Communication Chapters 7, 12

Assignments [LOs 2-4, 6; COM, CT, PR]

*Reading Quizzes

*Resume

*Letter of Reflection